10 Vegan Cheese Brands Tasty Enough to Fool a Non-Vegan

When it comes to vegan cheese, I'll honestly admit that — as a non-vegan and lover of the traditional fromage — I was basically a non-believer. Prior to writing this article, I had only been exposed to a fraction of vegan cheese products currently available in the market, most of which were bland, rubbery, and altogether disappointing.

However, it turns out that there are actually tons of vegan cheese brands churning out creative new non-dairy cheese varieties made from superfood coconut oil, nutritious nuts, and other plant-based proteins. From artisanal hard cheeses to spreadable cream cheese alternatives, here are 10 standout vegan cheese brands tasty enough to fool a non-vegan.

Because no fresh pasta dish is complete without a hefty sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese, vegans will be pleased to know that Follow Your Heart makes a deliciously sharp dairy-free parmesan alternative good enough to fool even the most devout cheese lovers. Organic chickpea miso paste adds just the right amount of fermented funk to this dairy-free cheese, making it the perfect addition to fresh marinara sauce, oven-baked veggies, or sprinkled atop fresh green salads.

Looking for a vegan cheese with a rich and buttery taste to add to your vegan charcuterie plate, calzones, or homemade pizza? Look no further than this stretchy, melty, and super creamy Just Like Gouda for Pizza from vegan brand Violife. Made from a base of coconut oil, rice flour, and rice and potato starches, this gouda alternative is a go-to for many vegans.

Whether you melt these gouda blocks down and add to savory crepe fillings, or add a few slabs to your favorite veggie burger patty, this vegan gouda alternative is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

You may already be familiar with Annie's line of delicious organic snacks, but we bet you didn't know the brand also makes a mean Vegan Shells & Creamy Sauce. This vegan cheese sauce gets its creaminess from pumpkin and sweet potatoes, and the pasta shells are made from organic wheat.

Though slightly less rich and gooey in texture and flavor than traditional dairy-based mac and cheese, thousands of Amazon reviewers claim that this vegan mac converted them into believers after several disappointing attempts trying other vegan brands that missed the mark. Made without any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, this is a solid vegan mac and cheese alternative for anyone following a dairy-free diet.

Treeline Treenut Cheeses, based in Hudson Valley, New York, makes its cheese using fine cashew nuts that are naturally cultured and aged to rich, savory perfection. With artisanal flavors like Cracked Pepper, Green Peppercorn, and Herb-Garlic, these nut cheeses are delicious spread on crackers or served on your favorite cheese plate.

Minneapolis-based vegan cheese brand Punk Rawk Labs was founded by three women — a scientist-turned-raw-chef, a record store owner, and a nutritionist — all on a mission to create a great-tasting, healthy alternative to dairy cheese. Their vegan cheeses are made by fermenting cashew nut milk, resulting in a smooth texture and unique umami flavor.

With only four base ingredients in each variety — organic cashews, water, culture, and salt — these non-dairy cheeses have a clean ingredient list and delicious taste. We especially love the Smoked Nutmilk Cheese for snacking.

For everyday use in cold cut roll-ups, classic grilled cheese sandwiches, or melted atop egg dishes, we recommend Chao Cheese Slices by Field Roast. Made from coconut oil seasoned with a traditionally fermented soybean curd called chao by the Vietnamese, these slices have a subtle coconut flavor that's most pronounced in the Creamy Original variety. We love the zesty kick of the Tomato Cayenne and Coconut Herb varieties to add some serious flavor to our favorite sandwiches.

Miyoko's Creamery Fresh VeganMozz gets our vote for most similar to traditional mozzarella di buffalo dairy cheese in both taste and texture. This creamy, cashew-based vegan version melts and browns beautifully for use on pizza or a warm panini, but it also tastes delicious served cold in fresh caprese salads, charcuterie spreads, and more.

Daiya is one of the most allergen-friendly and widely available dairy-free cheese brands on the market, but its new Farmhouse-style block cheeses are a big step up in both flavor and function. Soy-free, gluten-free, and made without nuts, this vegetable protein- and coconut oil-based vegan cheese is our pick for best-melting "cheese" for use in baked dishes like macaroni and cheese or cheesy scalloped potatoes.

These mozzarella-style shreds from Daiya are also designed for melting, as the texture and mild taste mimics traditional dairy mozzarella cheese. If you're baking a vegan lasagna, pizza, or other baked pasta dish, we highly recommend these shreds.

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